Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is as risk of receiving a two-match ban in the Premier League as a result of his disciplinary record.
The Sun pointed out that so far, Fernandes is sitting on eight yellow cards for the season.
Should he pick up 10 yellow cards in total, this would result in a two-match ban, which could prove to be a major setback to United heading into a critical run-in as the season draws to a close.
With United set to face Everton at Old Trafford on Saturday before travelling to face Brentford away, any missteps in these matches could result in the midfielder missing his team’s crucial clashes against Liverpool at home and Chelsea away next month.
The prospect of being without Fernandes for such big games is a worrisome one for United given his vital role as a playmaker and as club captain.
Leadership qualities aside, the Portuguese midfielder has been a reliable member of the starting XI, never missing a match for United due to injury.
Still, even as one of the club’s key players, Fernandes has been subject to his fair share of criticism this season as United’s performances have dipped. To make matters worse, Fulham released a TikTok video seemingly mocking Fernandes for allegedly feigning injury – an act that United manager Erik ten Hag demanded an apology over, especially since Fernandes was indeed injured.
In fact, Nottingham Forest players also appeared to acknowledge Fernandes’ importance in the team when their players appeared to intentionally foul the United skipper during the 1-0 FA Cup victory.
Ten Hag’s aggressive defence of his captain comes as no surprise given the level of importance that he has placed on him, lauding Fernandes as “an inspiration” to his teammates.
Even if this season has not been one of Fernandes’ best, or United’s for that matter, the Portuguese playmaker will be desperate to avoid a suspension, not only for himself but so that he can help his team secure an unlikely position in the top four, thereby qualifying for Champions League football next season.
Currently in sixth place in the Premier League, United trail fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur by six points and fourth-placed Aston Villa by 11 points. Still, with 11 matches to play, there is still an outside chance for United to find their way into the top four and secure another season in Europe’s elite club competition.
With patience reportedly running thin for Ten Hag, not to mention reports of possible replacements, he will no doubt be hopeful that Fernandes can avoid a two-match ban so as to give United the best possible hope of finishing in the top four, thereby potentially saving his job in the process.
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